Telephony.



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T E L'E P H 0 N Y.

(Application led Apr. 15, 1901.)

2 heets-Shet I.

(No Model.)

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No. 691,060. Patented 1an. I4, |902.

' a. KnrsEE.

TELEPHONY.

` (Application filed Apr. 15, 1901.1 I :No Model.) 2 sheets-shear z.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR 49%,

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nnrrniu retries Parent ficticia ISIDOR KITSEE, OF PHILADELPHIA,PENNSYLVANIA.

TELEPHONY.

:SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 691,060, dated January14, 1902. Application filed April l5, 1901. Serial No. 55,939. (No modemTo a/ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ISIDOR KITSEE, of the city and county ofPhiladelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Telephony, of which the following` is aspecification.

My invention relates to an improvement in telephony, and has morespecial reference to an improvement in party-lines.

In a telephonie system of to-day, consist ing of a central or exchangestation and a series of outlying or subscribers stations, the customprevails of providing two or more subscribers Whose phones are veryseldom busy-for instance, in dwelling-houses-with one common circuit.These lines are called party-lines. Efforts were made to prevent on suchlines one subscriber from listening to the conversation of a secondsubscriber. So, also,were efforts made to prevent the alarm of onesubscriber ringing it another subscriber is called up by the central. Inpractice so far all these efforts have proved not very successful,especially not if a great number of subscribers-forinstance, six,eight,and ten-are connected to one and the sameline. A partyline to besuccessfullyoperated should be provided with devices as follows: First,a device to prevent the calling up of central by a subscriber if theline is already busy-that is, if a second subscriber has already calledup central or is connected by central with another line for the purposeot' intercommunication; second, a device to prevent one subscriber fromlistening to the conversation of asecond subscriber if this secondsubscriber does not wish to comm unicate with the first-nam edsubscriber; third, adevice to prevent the alarm of one subscriberringing if the office calls up a second subscriber, and, fourth, adevice to allow central to place two subscribers on the same line inintercommunication with each other and to ring up for that purpose oneof these two subscribers after the other of these two subscribers hascalled the central for this purpose. All ot' the efforts made so farhave, besides others, the great disadvantage that normally all of theindividual subscribers circuits connected to one and the same line arenormally closed and in multiple are as to each other and thecurrent-carrying circuit. In my experiments I have found that it ishardly possible to successfully transmit messages over a line-wirehaving two or more stations normally closed and connected in multiplearc as to each other.

It is the aim of my invention to overcome all these difficulties and toprovide a partyline with all the advantages enumerated.

Referring now to the drawings, Figure lis a diagrammatic view showingtwo subscribers stations, one of the subscribers having removed thereceiver from the lever. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of the deviceplaced at the central station.

l and 2 are the circuit-wires.

la is part of the circuit-wire l turned backward for the purpose as willbe hereinafter specified.

3 represents the transmitters of each station; 4:, the receivers; 5, thelevers on which the receivers are normally supported.. This lever iselectrically connected through wire 7 with the line-wire 2.

6 is a contact-point designed to connect with the lever 5 when thereceiver is removed. Lever 5 is preferably provided with theindentation, as shown in the drawings, adapted to receive the lowerpoint of the contact 6 ifthe receiver is removed.

Inserted in series in line l is for each station The electromagnet l2.This electromagnet is provided with the armature 9, normally held byspring ll away from the core of said magnet. This armature is providedwith a non-conducting piece l0.

Connected to the line-wire 2 through wire 35 is the alarm device 13. Thecoils of the electromagnet of this alarm consist of two parts connectedin a manner so that they normally oppose the action of the current onthe armature. It is unnecessary for me to refer more specifically' tothe connection of the coils, as it is well understood by persons versedin the art how to wind the electromagnet of an alarm device so that thetwo parts of the windings are opposed to each other in a manner so thattheinfluence of the electricimpulses on the core should be nullited.Normally, therefore, it' a current is sent through wire 35 and throughboth pairs of the coils of the alarm device 13 this alarm device willnot be actuated, and to ring this device it is necessary to shunt onepair ofthese coils, and

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. one of the contact-brushes 24.

`the devices of the other stations.

for this reason these coils are provided with the shunt-wires 13a 13,terminating in the brushes 23 23. In series with the alarm device 13 is-placed the electromagnet 19, provided with the armature 17, held awayfrom the core of said electromagnet by spring 18. This armature isprovided with the pawl 16, constituting, with the wheel14, amodification of the well-known step-by-step devices. This wheel isprovided with the teeth 15 and the insulation 20; but each wheel has atapredetermined point the insulation cut away for the purpose as willhereinafter be specified. These points are numbered 21 and 22,respectively. These points 2l and 22 difier in location in the wheels ofthe various stations. The wire 35, with its alarm device 13 andelectromagnet 19, is grounded at G.

To the wire connecting contact 6 to the receiver 4 is connected wire 24,terminating in The other of these contact-brushes 24a is connected tocontact-point 8 in proximity to the lever 5.

In Fig. 2, is the battery normally connected t0 the circuit. 25 is acontact-point electrically connected with one arm of the 'spring-jack,consisting of the two arms 26 and 27. 29 is a plug connected by the cordwith the conducting-rim 31 of the make-andbreak device 30, the movablelever 33 of which is connected with the battery B2, grounded at G. Tothe conducting-rim 31 are connected the contacts 0 to 14, inclusive.

In a party-line in which two or more subscribers stations are connectedit is of importance that the operation in one station should affect allthe instruments in every other station in a manner so that the samecannot be used for telephonie purposes. It' this circuit consists onlyof two line-wires and if the devices actuating the different stations ina manner as aforesaid are to be placed in series, it is obvious that ifthe subscriber nearest to the central removes his receiver for thepurpose of calling up central the other devices will not be actuated atall, for the reason that the transmitting and receiving instruments areplaced in multiple arc and the current therefore would take the shortestcut and return to the central without flowing through For this purposeit was necessary that one of the line- Wires (in the drawings line l)should be turned back in a manner as indicated in Fig. 1. This shortwire (designated in the drawings as l) is not in realitya third wire.Supposing that the particular party-line is carried live miles from thecentral and at the end of the five miles the different subscribers to beconnected to this line are located in one and the same house or in oneand the same block, then that part of the wire designated by l needs torun only along the block or house, as the case may be. In other words,the turned-back part of wire 1 should only run from the location of therst to the location of the last subscriber. Normallythat is, when noneof the stations are in usethe circuit consisting of line-wire 1 andof,line wire 2 is entirely open. No device placed in multiple arc as tothis circuit is connected normally with both wires, and therein lies theirst advantage of my invention. In a partyline to the circuit of whichtwo or more subscribers are connected in multiple arc it is necessarythat the devices and arrangements of same should be entirely alike, andif the devices are normally connected, even, as is usuallyA the case,through condensers, with both lines, then it follows if one party triesto communicate with the central or through same with a subscriberonanother line all or part of the transmitting-waves will be shuntedthrough the devices of the other stations, because it is awell-established fact that, concerning telephonie waves, condensers areno hindrance at all. As long as allstations are at rest the wire 1 willbe connected to one pole of the common battery at the central, and thewire 2 will be connected to the other pole of the same battery. Thecircuit itself will remain open, for the reason'that as long as thereceiver rests on the lever the connection between the lever and thecontact 6 is broken.

I will now describe the operation of the device placed in the line whenone of the subscribers is calling.

The subscriber in the act of calling removes his receiver from thelever, and the lever, released of its weight, will press upward, and thelower part of the contact 6 will be inserted in the notch with which thelever is provided, thereby establishing a path for the current from thebattery through wire 1, wire 1a, transmitter 3, receiver 4, contact 6,lever 5, and line-wire 2 back to the battery. As soon as the current-dowcommences the cores of electroni-aguets 12 will be energized, and thearmatures of these magnets will be drawn toward their respective coresand in a position as indicated in the dra-wings at the left-handstation-that is, the non-conducting part 10 of the armature will bepushed between the contact 6 and lever 5. The armature of the particularstation calling will always tend to assume the position of the armaturesof the other station and to place the non-conducting piece 10 betweenthe contact 6 and the lever 5; but as the contact has to be inserted inthe notch of the lever before the circuit is l established and beforethe cores are energized The subscriber calling has a free.

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upward movement will encounter the nonconducting piece 10, whicheifectually bars its electrical connection with contact b'. It istherefore obvious that no matter how many subscribers'are connected toone and the same line only one subscriber can at one and the same timeconverse with the central or through the central with a subscriber onanother line and that no other subscriber can listen to the conversationof the subscriber talking.

I will now describe the modus operandi of calling up one of the subscribers connected to this party-line. Y

At the central is placed the make-and-break device 30. Thismake-and-break device consists, preferably, of the conducting-rim 31 anda series of contact-points connected to said conducting-rim. Themake-and -break device is provided with the movable lever 33. I haveillustrated in the drawings the movable lever as to be adapted to bemoved by hand; but it is obvious that this lever may be actuated by anyof the well-known motive powers. Normallytheleverrests,asisshown in thedrawings, at Zero-that is, at the contact-point O. If central wants tocall a subscriber connected to the line, the operator iirst ascertainswhat particular number on that line the subscriber to be called has.Suppose in this line there are fourteen subscribers and the one to becalled up is the fourth on the line*that is, is designated by thenumeral 4. The operator connects the linewire 2 through plug 29 with theconducting-rim 31 and then moves the lever from the contact-point O tothe contact-point 4. This operation will break and make the circuit fourtimes. At each subscribers station is located the step-by-step movementas described above. This step-by-step movement is provided with twopairs of contact-brushes, (designated, respectively, 23 and 24a.) Thecontact-brushes 23 are designed, as clearly set forth above, to shuntthat part ot' the coil of the alarm device 13 which neutralizes normallythe effect of the currenttlowing through said device. Let us supposethat the lefthand station is the station 4 called up by the central. Thestep-by-step movement at this station will be actuated till theconducting part 22 of the wheel 14 comes in contact with the brushes 23,thereby short-circuiting the brushes and through them the opposing partsof the coils of the alarm device 13. The operator at the central havingmoved the lever of the step-by-step device to point 4 connects theterminal of his magneto-generator with wire 2 of the circuit, the otherterminal of the generator being connected to the ground. The alternatingimpulses of the generator will therefore iiow through wire 2 and willpass out each station from wire 2 through Wire 35, coils of alarm device13, and electromagnet 19 to the ground. These alternatingimpulses arenot of sufficient duration to operate the electromagnet 19; but they areof sufcient electromotive force to operate the alarm device 13. 4In allstations with lthe eX- ception of station 4, wherein through theelectrical connection of the brushes 23 the opposing coils are shunted,the electric impulses will iiow through both pairs of coils of the alarmdevice 13, and, as described above, the action of these coils is such asto neutralize the effect of the current on the core. Itis evident thatall the alarm devices, with the eX- ception of the alarm device ofstation 4, will remain silent, but the alarm 'device of station 4 havingonly one set of coils in active service, the other set of coils beingshunted, will be actuated and the bell will ring, calling the attentionof the subscriber of station 4 that the office wants to communicate withhim. No matter, therefore, how many subscribers are connected to theline, only the alarm device of the subscriber with which the centralwishes to communicate will be actuated.

I will now describe the steps necessary for the purpose of advising onesubscriber that a second subscriber on the same line `Wishes tocommunicate with him.

The subscriber calling goes through the operation as described, removinghis receiver from the lever 5 and bringing the lever in connection withcontact 6. He makes, as usual, the operator at the central acquaintedwith his wishes. The operator in calling up another subscriber on thesame line acts in the same manner as if a subscriber of another line hascalled up this subscriber. Itis again supposed that subscriber No. 4isbeing called. The operator moves the lever from the contact 0 to contact4. This brings again the wheel in such a position that the contact 22connects the brushes 23, shunting the opposing coils of the alarm device13. The operator again rings up the station 4. The subscriber inanswering the call removes his phone from the lever and allows the sameto resume a position as indicated in the righthand station of thedrawings; but the lever will not be able to make an electricalconnection with contact 6, because the non-conducting material 10 hasalready assumed a position as indicated in the left-hand station of thedrawings. To obviate this difficulty and to allow the station called upby the central to make connection, even if another station connected tothe same line is calling, the wheel 14 is also provided with thecontactpoint 21. This contact-point is in alinement With contact-point22 and is adapted to shortcircuit the brushes 24 at the same time thatthe-brushes 23 are short-circuited through the contact 22. Whentherefore central has brought the step-by-step movement of station 4 tothe position that the alarm device of this station is actuated throughthe shunting of the opposing coils, the brushes 24a are also brought inelectrical contact with each other, and as through the removing of thereceiver from the lever this lever is brought in con- IOO IIO

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tact with connecting-point 8 it establishes a second path between wire 2and wire l, this path consisting this time of wire 7, lever 5, contact8, contact-brushes 24% connected electrically through contact 2l, wire24, receiver has answered or if two subscribers on the same linecommunicate with each other after the communication has ceased. It isobvious, however, that in so adjusting the make-andbreak device the samecontinues to a complete rotation to maintain all of the step-bystepmechanisms in unison or proper receiving condition.

From the drawings and explanations it is evident that in accordance withmy invention a party-line may have any number of subscribers stationsconnected thereto without one station interfering in the least with theother stations..

A party-line arranged and provided with the devices according to myinvention has the following advagtagcs: First, a subscriber .connectedto the line will always tind the line open and unobstructed to hisconversation;

second, a subscriber on the line can call up central and can conversewith central or other subscribers without fear that his conversationwill be overheard by another subscriber; third, central can ring up anyone of the subscribers connected to this line without the alarm devicesof the other stations on the line being actuated; fourth, a subscriberon this line is able to converse with a second subscriber on the sameline without a third subscriber being aware of this fact, and, fifth,central can call up and connect any one of the subscribers, no matter ifthe line is free or .already in use, without disturbing the subscriberusing the line or calling the attention of the subscribers not using theline.

As my invention relates only to party-lines and method of operating thesame, but does not relate to the mode or method of connecting one lineto the other, and as this part of the-operation is well understood bypersons versed in the art, and as my system of operating party-lines isapplicable to the various systems in use to-day, no matter how far theydiffer in connecting two lines to each other, I have not illustrated ordescribed either the usual spring-jacks, connecting-cords, andsupervisory or other signals. In fact, I have omitted for the sake ofclearness and better understanding all devices necessary or used in anexchange to-day and foreign to my own invention, and I have illustratedand described this invention only in so far as to enable persons versedin the art to make and use the same, leaving it understood thatdifferent means may be employed to accomplish the same results withoutdeparting from the scope of my invention.

I have illustrated in Fig. l the'step-by-step device as consisting of amovable wheel-and an armature provided with a hinged pawl; but it isobvious that any of the well-known step-by-step devices may besubstituted for the one illustrated. I have also described andillustrated the contact-points 2l and 22 as being part of the wheel,which is otherwise provided with an insulating-surface; but it isobvious that these contacts may consist of conducting-strips placed onor secured to the wheel; but in all cases care should be taken topresent a smooth and even surface of the wheel to the brushes, asotherwise the movements ofthe wheel may be obstructed.

In Fig. 2 I have illustrated part of the circuit-wires l and 2 as beingconnected with battery B and being provided with the movable jacks 26and 27. I did this for the purpose so as to show one method ofbringingin electrical connection line wire 2 with the make-and-breakdevice; but it is obvious that when the usual jacks are employed thisparticular jack, consisting of the parts 26 and 27, can be dispensedwith.

The battery B vis made to represent the usual common battery to whichthe incoming circuits are connected. rIhe battery B2 is the specialbattery provided for the purpose of actuating the step-by-step movement.

I have illustrated the diferent stations as to be provided simply withthe transmitter and-receiver and have omitted the inductioncoil usuallyemployed. rlhe cnice of this coil is well understood,and the same may beplaced in the line or may be omitted from the same;

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but in some systems the insertion of the in y duction-coil is anecessity. I omitted to illustrate the same for the reason that myinvention does not embrace any particular sending or receiving devices.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a telephone system, the Acombination with a party-line, of aseries of subscriberstations connected in multiple arc therewith, eachof said subscriber-stations including telephonie devices and aswitch,and electromagnetic devices connected in series with theparty-line and adapted to prevent the establishment of a circuit betweenthe telephonie devices of each station and the switch thereat when suchcircuit has been established at one of the stations.

2. In a telephone system, the combination with a party-line, of a seriesof subscriberstations connected in such manner with the party-line as tobe normally open, each of said subscriber-stationsincluding telephoniedevices and a switch, and electromagnetic devices connected in serieswith the partyline and adapted to prevent the establish- IIO senese mentof a circuit between the telephonic devices of each station and theswitch thereat when such circuit has been established at one of thestations.

3. In telephony, a party-line, two or more subscriber-stations connectedin multiple arc as to each other and said party-line, each of saidstations provided with an electromagnetic device connected in series asto one of the line-wires constituting the circuit of said party-line,said electromagnetic device adapted to prevent the closing of thecircuit in the remaining subscribers stations, after the circuit in oneofthe subscriber-stations has been established.

4.. In a telephone system, the combination with a central station, and aparty-line, of a series of subscriber-stations connected in multiple arcto said line, a signal device for each of said stations, each of saiddevices being provided with opposing pairs of coils so woun d as toneutralize the effect of the currenttlowing through thesignaldevice,ineans forshunting one of the pairs of said coils, andmeans at the central station for actuating said shunting means.

5. In telephony, a party-line, two or more subscriber-stations connectedto said partyline, an alarm device for each of said stations, said alarmdevice provided with opposing coils so wound as to neutrali-.ze theeiect of the current flowing through said alarm device, in combinationwith means to open or shunt the opposing coils of said alarm device atthe will of the operator located at the central or exchange.

(i. In telephony, a party-line, two or more subscriber-stationsconnected in multiple arc to said party-line, an alarm device providedwith opposing coils so as to neutralize the et'- fect of the currentflowing through said alarm device, a step-by-step movement for each ofsaid alarm devices, and means located at the central or exchange toactuate said step-bystep movement, said step-by-step movement providedwith means to close or open the shunt-circuit with which said alarmdevice is provided.

7. In telephony, a party-line, two or more subscriber-stations connectedin multiple arc as to said party-line, means at each station to connectelectrically one line-wire of said partyline through the transmitterwith the other line-wire of said party-line, and means at each of saidstations to connect the two line-wires, including the transmitter, of`each station through a second circuit, normallybrolzen but lelectricallyconnected at the will ot' the operator at the central or exchange.

S. In telephony, a party-line, two or more subscriber-stations connectedin multiple arc las to said line, a step-by-step movement for eachsubscriber-station, said step-by-step movement provided with means toclose a shunt-circuit of the alarm device with which said station isprovided, and to connect the normally broken parts ot a .circuit adaptedto make connection between that part ot' the circuit connected to thelever and that part ot the circuit connected to the transmitter.

9. In a telephone system, the combination with a party-line, and aseries of subscriberstations connected in multiple arc therewith, of anauxiliary circuit formed bya shunt located at each of said stations andincluding the transmitter and the receiver-hook, and means controlled bythe central station and cooperating with the receiver-hook for openingand closing the auxiliary circuit.

10. In telephony, a party-line, two or more subscriber-stationsconnected in multiple arc as to said line, means for each station toprevent the flow of the current through the telephonie devices placed atsaid station, if the circuit is closed at a second station, an alarmdevice for eachl station, said alarm device provided with means tonullity the effect of the current impulses on the movable parts of saiddevice, means for each of said alarm devices to make ineffective saidnullifying means, and means at each station to closel the circuit ofsaid party-lines including the telephonic devices at said station,through an auxiliary circuit with which each station is provided.

ll. In a telephone system, the combination with a party-line, of aseries of subscriberstations connected in multiple arc with said line,an auxiliary circuit located at each of said stations and including asignal device, means for controlling said auxiliary circuit, a secondauxiliary circuit located at each ot' said stations and adapted toestablish connection between the line and each of said stationsindependentlyof theotherstations,said second auxiliary circuit includingthe transmitter and the receiver-hook, and means cooperating with thereceiver-hook for opening and closing the second auxiliary circuit.

l2. In a telephone system, the combination with a party-line, of aseries ot subscriberstations connected in multiple arc with said line,an auxiliary circuit located at each of said stations and including asignal device, means forcontrolling said auxiliary circuit, a secondauxiliary circuit located at each of said stations and adapted toestablish connection between the line and each of saidstationsindependently of the other stations, said second auxiliarycircuit including the transmitter and the receiver-hook, and meanscontrolled by the central station and cooperating with the receiver-hookfor opening and closing the second auxiliary circuit.

13. In a telephone system, the combination with a party-line, of aseries of subscriberstations connected thereto and each includingtelephonie devices, an auxiliary circuit located at each of saidstations and including a signal device', a step-by-step mechanism alsolocated at each of said stations and controlled by said auxiliarycircuit, a second auxiliary circuit located at each of said stations andadapted to establish through the step-by-step IIO seines armaturesprovided with means adapted to beinterposed between the stationarycontacts and the switches to prevent the establishment of the telephoniecircuits.

In testimony whereof I hereby sign my name, in the presence of twosubscribing Witnesses, this 12th day of April, A. D. 1901.

ISIDOR KITSEE.

Witnesses EDITH PSTILLEY, CHAs. KREssENBUcH.

